Venetian blind structure



Oct. 24, 1950 A R 2,527,104

VENETIAN BLIND STRUCTURE Filed 001;. 17, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Eda/card E Sc/zaefiex Oct. 1950 E. E. SCHAEFER 2,527,104

VENETIAN BLIND STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 17, 1947 I "ll IIII Ii 4.

I 7 1M 'ENTOR. v/1 (/11/(2 705 /t. chaefev BY am. MW

Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,527,104

VENE'IIAN BLIND STRUCTURE Edward E. Schaefer, Oak Park, Ill. Applicationoctober 17,1947, Serial N0. 786,598

This invention relates to an improved Venetian blind structure and more particularly to a novel means for detachably securing slat-supporting tapes to the upper and lower rails of a Venetian blind.

In the conventional Venetian blind construction a horizontal upper tilting rail is provided and secured thereto are a plurality of depending slat-supporting tapes, e. g. ladder tapes comprising pairs of parallel tapes connected at regular intervals by cross-linking rungs. The

horizontal slats of the blind are supported by the rungs of the ladder tapes, and the tapes are secured at their lower ends to a horizontal bottom rail. A tilting mechanism is provided for tilting the upper rail to open and close the slats of the blind. Operating cords for raising and lowering the blind extend downwardly through openings in the slats and are fastened to the bottom rail. v

Venetian blinds, as is well known to housewives and other users thereof, require periodic cleaning and washing, particularly when the blinds are finished in light colors. Although Venetian blinds have recently become available in which the slats are removable for cleaning purposes, no means has ordinarily been provided for removing the slat-supporting tapes. In the usual construction, the tapes are more or less permanently secured to the upper and lower rails, for example, by nails, screws, staples, or other fastening means. As a result, it is only with considerable difliculty that the slat-supporting tapes can be removed for cleaning, and the removal procedure involves the danger of tearing the ends of the tapes and the necessity of replacing the nails, screws, staples, or other fastening means when the blind is reassembled. Accordingly, readily detachable slat-supporting tapes are a highly desirable adjunct to the modern Venetian blind thereby permitting soiled tapes to be removed for cleaning or dyeing when it is desired to change the color.

One object of the present invention is to provide a Venetian blind construction in which the slat-supporting tapes may be readily removed for cleaning or dyeing and may be reassembled with ease. A further obj ect of the inventionis to provide a tapesecuring bracket for? attachment to a rail of a Venetian blindby means of which the slatsupporting tapes may be detachably securedto' said rail. g g

An additional object of the invention isto pro vide a novel bracket for attachmentto a' rail of a Venetian blind, which bracket is adapted to detachably secure the ends of a slat-supporting 8 Claims. (or. -178) tape and in which the point of attachment of the tape to said bracket is adjustable to compensate for changes in the length of the tape. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon reference to the drawings and the accompanying description thereof.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a Venetian blind with the slats in closed position showing the tape-securing brackets embodying my invention mounted on the tilting rail.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the tilting rail and the attached bracket shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the tape-securin bracket, shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, in un-.- mounted condition.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 6-45 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a bottom rail assembly showing the tape-securing bracket in dotted lines and a cover member over the rail concealing the bracket.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 88 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a slightly different form of bracket secured to a rail.

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken along line lO-Ifl of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Fig. 1, an assembled view of a Venetian blind construction embodying one form of the present invention is shown. At the upper portion there is a head rail or support I l beneath which is pivotally mounted a horizontal tilting rail I2 operatively connected to a tilting mechanism l3 for tilting the rail I2 either forward or backward so as to open or close the slats of the blind. A pair of tape-securing brackets, shown generally by reference numeral M, are attached in spaced relation by means of a plurality of screws IE to the upper surface of the rail l2. Each bracket is provided with a pair of parallel raised arms I! each of which is inserted into a looped end I8 of a depending ladder tape l9 to detachably secure the latter to the rail l2. The ladder tapes I9 are detachably secured at their lower ends to a bottom rail 2| by means of tape-securing brackets of a substantially similar design described hereinafter in greater detail. A

plurality of slats 22 are supported between the ladder tapes I9 by means of the usual rungs (not shown) extending transversely between the individual tape members of each ladder tape. A cord 2! for raising and lowering the blind extends downwardly on each side of the blind through openings in the brackets H, the upper rail [2, and the slats 22, and is fastened to the bottom rail 2|.

Figs. 2 to 6 illustrate in detail one form of tape-securing bracket which is particularly adapted for use on the upper tilting rail of a Venetian blind, although the bracket may be used equally well on the bottom rail 2|. The bracket, as shown clearly in Fig. 5, has a fiat body portion or fastenin plate 23 provided with a plurality of spaced holes 24 to permit attachment of the bracket to the upper surface of the rail 12 by means of the screws t5. Obviously, detachable means other than the screws could be employed for fastening or otherwise maintaining the bracket in position against the surface of the rail 12- The body portion -23 is also provided with an elongated transverse-slot 25 adapted to register with a similar slot in the upper rail whereby an opening or passageway is provided for the cord 21. This opening 26 is necessarily in the form of a transverse slotin order to .per-

curved shape to conform to the curved surface of the recess 33 and is afiixed to said surface by means of screws 35 extending through holes therein. It will be apparent that the body portion 34 could be retained in position adjacent the surface of the recess 33 by suitable detachable means other than the screws 35, The lower ends of the ladder tapes l9 are provided with loops 36, similar to upper loops 18, which are mounted on the parallel, tape-engaging arms 31 --of the bracket, and the loops 36, are retained mit the upper rail 12 to be tilted without defiecting or binding the cord 21. Projecting from the body portion 23 and secured theretoby means of bent, integral, connecting-portions 28 are parallel, elongated, tape engaging arms I? which extend parallel to the 12 and are disposed in an elevated plane spaced from the base portion 23 and the rail l2.. As seen particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, the ends of'the ladder tape [9 are doubled back and sewn to the respective tape members to form loops l8 which fitover and are supported by the extended bracket arms H, each of which is provided with a hooked .or U-s'haped outer end 3! for preventing the loops from slipping ofi inadvertently during'handling or operation of the blind.

The spaced relationship of the arms with the base portion of the bracket at the edge of the recess allowing the arms to project over the recess. In such' anarrangement the bent connecting portions 28 could be eliminated and ,the arms ll could be coplanar with the base portion 23. Although the use of looped ends on "the ladder tapes provides. a simple, reliable, and cheap method for attaching the tapes, it is also within the scope of the invention to employ other fastening means for detachablysecuring the ends of the ladder tape 19 to the bracket arms ii. For example, the ends of the ladder tape l9 could be provided with a plurality of hooks or bent metal strips for engaging the horizontal arms ll.

A slightly modified form of tape-securing bracket, shown generally byreference numeral 32, is particularly adapted foruse in conjunction with the bottom rail of a Venetian blind as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. The bottom rail 2! provided with spaced transverse recesses pockets 33 in its underside which are 9.6a to receive the lower brackets 32. The body poi tion 34 of the bracket is formed in a slightly thereon by the hooked ends 38. Similar to the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the tape-securing arms 31 are disposed in raised or spaced relationship with respect to the base portion 34 of the bracket 32 by means of the bent, integral, connecting portions 39 thereby providing the necessary clearance between the tape-securing arms 31 and the surface of the recess 33. The cord 21 is attached to the bottom rail 2| by means of a detachable cordiastening device 40 which fits into'a smallerrecess or cavit provided in the rail 2| above the recess 33 and in register with 'a corresponding opening?! disposed centrally in the base'portion' 3 1 of the bracket. In order to conceal the recess 33 and the bracket 32 disposed therein, a detachable cover member having a horizontal, fiat portion 42 and upstanding sides 43 is disposed over the recess 33 with the sides 43 gripping the lower, lateral edges of the rail 2| in clamped engagement therewith and holding the tapes i' 9 securely between the edges of the rail 2| and the sides 43 of the cover. l

A different form' of tape-securing bracket, which is shown generally by -reie'rence numeral 50 and which is particularly'useful in cases where the ladder tapes [9 tend to undergo shrinkage or stretching during washing orcleaning, is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. In this form of the device the body portion of the bracket consists merely of a fiat,'transverse strip 5|, fastened to the rail 12 by means of screws 52. .Four tapesecuring arms 53 project laterally from the base portion 5| and are disposed in raised or spaced relationship with respect to the base 5i and the surfaceof the rail l2 by means of the bent, integral, connecting portions 54.v Hooked outer ends 55 are provided on each of the arms 53. Two of the parallel tape-securing arms 53 are shown adjacent the lateral edges of the rail l2 while the other two arms 53 are disposed inwardly thereof. Thus whenthe blind is assembled originally, the looped ends; !8 of the laddertape l9 may. be inserted over the inner two arms 53 and if upon. subsequent washing of the tape, shrinkage occurs, the tape can be replaced by aflixing the looped ends "i 8 to the outer two arms 53, as shown inwFig. .9, thereby compensating for the decreasein length of the tape. Although the bracket 50' has been shown as having four tape-securing arms 5! in Figs. 9 and 10, it will be apparent that-any desired number of arms may be providedg-lfor example, three or more.

The tape-securing means comprising the present invention possess-substantial advantages in that the tape-securing brackets are of simple construction and easily formed in a single stamping operation with relatively simple dies. The brackets, furthermore, maybe employed with substantially all types of Venetian blinds and may be aflixed to any of=the blinds now available or in use with little or' no modification of the existing structures. With the Venetian blind construction of this invention, the housewife may readily detach the ladder tapes [9 for cleaning o dyeing by a relatively simple operation requiring neither special tools nor a high degree of mechanical ability.

In order to remove the ladder tapes 19, the bottom cover plates are pulled off and then the detachable cord fastening devices 40 are removed thereby permitting the cords 2'! to be raised upwardly through the bottom rail 2| and the slats 22. When the cords 21 have been removed, the slats 22 may then be pulled out sideways from the ladder tapes leaving the tapes still detachably secured to the tilting rail l2 and the bottom rail 2|. As the next step, the lower looped ends 36 of the tapes l9 may be grasped by the fingers and lifted over the hooked ends 38 of the parallel arms 31 from which they are detached, thereby permittin the lower rail 2| to be removed. As the final step, the upper looped ends I8 of the tapes are slipped off the arms I! of the brackets l4, thus becoming entirely free of and disconnected from the rails and the slats and capable of being washed or dyed as individual units. In reassembling the blind, the foregoing steps are merely reversed.

Although several embodiments of my invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various modifications of the detachable tape-securing means may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tape securing bracket for detachably securing the ends of a slat-supporting tape to a rail of a Venetian blind, which comprises a body portion adapted to be maintained in position adjacent the surface of a rail and elongated onepiece tape-engaging portions adapted to extend longitudinally of the rail and each havin one of its ends connected integrally to said body portion and the other of its ends free, said other end being provided with retaining means for engaging a tape at the side edge thereof whereby to prevent edgewise movement of the tape relative to said tape-engaging portions.

2. A tape securing bracket for detachably securing the ends of a slat-supporting tape to a rail of a Venetian blind, which comprises a body portion adapted to be maintained in position adjacent the surface of a rail and elongated onepiece tape-engaging portions adapted to extend longitudinally of the rail and each havin one of its ends connected integrally to said body portion and the other of its ends free, said tapeengaging portions being spaced from said body portion and being provided with retaining means at their free ends for engaging and retaining a tape at the side edges thereof.

3. A tape-securing bracket for detachably securing the ends of a slat-supporting tape to a rail of a Venetian blind, which comprises a body portion adapted to be maintained in position ad- Number and retaining means at the free end of each of said tape-engaging portions for engaging and retaining the tape loops at the side edges thereof.

4. A tape-securing bracket for detachably securing the ends of a slat-supporting tape to a rail of a Venetian blind, which comprises a fastening plate adapted to be attached to said rail, and a plurality of one-piece tape-engaging arms extending integrally from said plate in spaced relationship therewith and longitudinally of the rail, said arms being adapted to detachably secure the ends of a slat-supporting tape and having free outer ends provided with hooked portions for retaining said tape thereon.

5. In a Venetian blind structure, the combination of a horizontal rail, a slat-supporting tape, and a tape-securing bracket having a body portion afiixed to said rail and having elongated onepiece tape-engaging arms extending integrally from said body portion in spaced relationship with said rail and parallel therewith, the ends of said tape being detachably secured to said arms and said arms being provided with hooked outer ends for retaining the ends of said tape thereon.

6. In a Venetian blind structure, the combination of a horizontal rail, slat-supporting tapes having looped ends, and a tape-securing bracket having a body portion afiixed to said rail and elongated tape-engaging arms spaced from said body portion, each arm having one of its ends connected to said body portion and the other of its ends free, and said arms extending parallel to said rail through the looped ends of said tapes and being provided with hooked portions at the free ends thereof for engaging the side edges of said looped ends to retain the latter on said arms.

7. In a Venetian blind structure, the combination of a horizontal rail, a ladder tape, and a tape-securing bracket secured in position adjacent the surface of said rail and having at least three parallel tape-engaging portions spaced from said rail, each end of the individual tape members of said ladder tape being adapted to be detachably secured to any desired one of several of said tape-engaging portions whereby changes in the length of said tape may be compensated for by securing said ends to the appropriate tapeengaging portions.

8. In a Venetian blind structure, the combination of a horizontal rail, a ladder tape, and a tapesecuring bracket having a body portion secured in position adjacent said recess to said rail and having at least three parallel, elongated tape-engaging arms extending from said body portion in spaced relationship with said rail and parallel therewith, each of said arms having one of its ends connected to said body portion and the other of its ends free, and each end of the individual tape members of said ladder tape being adapted to be detachably secured to any desired one of several of said arms whereby changes in the length of said tape may be accommodated by selection of suitable arms for securing the ends of said tape.

EDWARD E. SC'HAEFER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Aug. 27, 1914 Great Britain M 1910 

